A second red back shrike, again a superbly plumaged male, was near to the bio farm at La Tache yesterday evening. He was busy feeding and using both the tops of the hedges and the posts of the electric fences as perches.
The moorhens at La Poterie have a second brood but without rain it can't be long before the pond dries up. The mallards have been down to 3 for some time now. Where the other 8 went is a mystery.
Hi
ReplyDeleteWonder if you can offer ideas to the identity of a bird thet I disturbed on the ground in our orchard today. I only saw it as it flew away:
Blackbird size.
Upperparts grey.
Prominent single white patches/bars on wings - very obvious in flight.
Rapid flight with sickle shaped wings.
Distinctive alarm cry as it flew away.
My first thought was a very small young wood pigeon but I don't think the alarm cry fits.
The closest I can find in our guides is the Great Grey Shrike and the recordings of calls that I have found on the internet are similar but I'm not convinced. For one thing, the white wing bars were across the wing rather than along it.
Any other ideas gratefully received.